Suspected of involvement in the outbreak of hepatitis A in Vinnytsia. Significant deviation from the norms of contamination in the water that comes to the apartments of ordinary Vinnytsia residents every day. All of this is about the Vinnytsiaoblvodokanal utility company, which has been headed for many years by people close to former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, UNN writes .
Wash your hands with soap, but preferably not in Vinnytsia
In mid-October, an outbreak of hepatitis A occurred in Vinnytsia.
This was stated by the Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Lyashko.
"Regarding the source of the outbreak in Vinnytsia. Many teams worked there, the chief state sanitary doctor visited, and the Public Health Center and the regional center for disease control and prevention are working with the health department and infectious disease specialists. The issue is that the source of the outbreak has not been clearly identified. Various options were considered, and we prefer the water supply network the most," the minister said.
This version was also confirmed by the Department of Health and Rehabilitation of Vinnytsia Regional State Administration.
"The Vinnytsia Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine considered 2 versions: the contact and household route of transmission and the water route of transmission," the Department reported in response to a request from UNN.
The Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine recently tried to reassure Vinnytsia residents that the outbreak was caused by trade at one of the local markets.
But at the same time, he told an even more frightening truth about the activities of Vinnytsiaoblvodokanal. According to him , the rates of microbiological and chemical water pollution in Vinnytsia are among the highest in Ukraine.
According to him, more than 400 water samples were taken from the city's water supply network and other water sources. Almost 30% of the samples showed an excess of microbiological indicators, which is a significant deviation from the norm. The main reason for this is the deterioration of water supply networks.
"Indeed, there are several main reasons for this. These are fairly frequent breakthroughs and deterioration of water supply networks. We worked with Vinnytsiaoblvodokanal to adjust the relevant technological regulations used in the city. I would like to note that 30% is a rather high figure, given that the average figure in Vinnytsia region is usually no more than 11%, and in Ukraine it is 7.5%. As for the chemical indicators of drinking water. According to the results of the study of all water samples, deviations from the norm were found in almost 60%. This is also quite a high figure, because on average in Ukraine we record about 20% of deviations," Kuzin said .
Money doesn't smell, even in sewers
Law enforcement officers have recently completed an investigation into the former head of Vinnytsiaoblvvodokanal for embezzling 10 million budget funds for sewer repairs.
They both face up to 12 years in prison.
And here's where the fun begins. Chernyatynskyi headed the Vinnytsia regional water utility from July 2016 to March 2022, and, according to local media, is the godfather of one of the closest associates of former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, Volodymyr Kistion.
In fact, Kistion began his political career back in 2001 at a water utility, later became Groysman's deputy mayor of Vinnytsia, worked with him in the Verkhovna Rada, and when Groysman became head of the Ukrainian government in April 2016, Kistion was appointed deputy prime minister.
And by a magical coincidence, at the same time, in 2016, Chernyatynskyi became the head of the water utility in Vinnytsia. Chernyatynsky's deputy was Volodymyr Kistion's son, Dmytro Kistion.
In early 2019, it became known about criminal proceedings for laundering budget funds through fictitious tenders for the repair of municipal facilities.
The scheme looked like this: a company won the tender for the construction or reconstruction of facilities and received money. But the work at the facilities was carried out by the utility companies using their own employees. Meanwhile, the company hired fictitious workers, bought non-existent construction materials, and the money ended up in the pockets of the organizers of the scheme, one of whom was named by the media as Kistion Sr.
This simple combination included Mix Light LLC, which was linked to Kistion Jr. and several other companies that were linked to Oleksandr Chernyatynskyi.
The story of embezzlement of funds for the reconstruction of the sewerage system in Vinnytsia coincides in time with the story of money laundering in the repair of municipal facilities. Moreover, it has certain common features.
Whether Kistionov senior and junior were directly involved is a rhetorical question. But it is somehow difficult to imagine that Dmytro Kistion, who was Cherniatynsky's deputy at the time, did not know about it.
When the clouds began to gather over Cherniatynsky, he was removed from his post. But they couldn't think of anything better than to make Kistion Jr. the head of the utility company.
Obviously, Volodymyr Kistion is confident that his son will not be touched.